1. Field
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a method, apparatus, and system for generating a diagnostic image using a photoacoustic material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Photoacoustic imaging technology provides an image of deep tissue, having a clear contrast effect obtained by optical absorption and a high resolution obtained by an ultrasound wave. The principle of the photoacoustic imaging technology is as follows. Local heat accumulation based on irradiation of a momentary laser pulse generates an acoustic wave, which is propagated and detected by an ultrasound imaging scanner.
The photoacoustic imaging technology has been already studied at a considerable level by targeting a brain, heart, eyeball, or cancer cells of a small animal. Furthermore, with a natural mergence trend of excitation light detection and ultrasound wave detection, a photoacoustic imaging system may be easily integrated with the existing ultrasound imaging system through only a simple alternation (for example, an ultrasound wave transmitting function is removed, and a radio frequency (RF) data collecting function is added). Such an integration system shares an acoustic detector with other systems, and thus provides portability and a real-time imaging ability of a conventional ultrasound imaging system.
In addition, much research has been conducted into a contrast medium for expressing an imaging modality in two methods, for enhancing detection sensitivity and singularity. For example, a light-absorbing organic dye, a plasmonic gold nanostructure, and organic nanoparticles have been developed for photoacoustic imaging in various biological application fields.
At present, a dye (for example, methylene blue, idocyanine green, etc.) whose use is clinically allowed may be considered as a promising candidate of a photoacoustic contrast medium which is clinically available. Methylene blue has been shown to be usable as a photoacoustic lymphatic gland tracer for diagnosing breast cancer.